Chaos: Now this is an interesting one. Yet another one-shot, but this time for the horror category. It's not all that scary, but it is a bit suspenceful... more of a product for description and a fun little burst of creativity.

Flower: Hooray for the plot bunny pet store; producing strange stories 24/7! Reviews are appreciated, and I don't own Sonic or any affiliated characters. Jyaa ne!

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"Oh, it's Knuckles! I didn't recognise you. Been a long time, hasn't it?"

Sonic emerged from the shadows, clinging on all fours to the side of a building. His face morphed back to normal, eyes dilating back to gentle green as he grinned coldly at the echidna below. Knuckles did not drop out of his fighting stance. He knew he was in a bad position, boxed in like a rat in a trap.

"Yes it has. And why have you come back all of a sudden?" He kept his voice flat and expressionless, carefully watching Sonic's reaction. The hedgehog crept closer, headfirst hand over hand, his vampire claws sinking easily into the concrete to hold him in position.

"Why not? It's good to be back in the city again. Just like old times. My turn, Red. What are you doing here?"

Knuckles curled his fists a little closer, defensive. "There have been attacks around the city. Victims drained of blood. Fang wounds in the neck. But you know that already, seeing as you're the one responsible."

Sonic actually laughed. Cold and quiet, before he hissed, "My, my. You haven't changed a bit. Still as hard-headed as ever, and so quick to place the blame." He dropped from the building suddenly, landing lightly before Knuckles and folding his arms, claws retracting as though they had never been.

"Don't play innocent, Sonic. It doesn't suit you." Knuckles resisted the urge to add, 'any more' and glanced over the distance between them. Perhaps… just perhaps…

"I would tell you not to play the idiot, but it suits you all too well." Sonic responded, grinning. His teeth flashed in the night. Still normal.

Knuckles lunged.

A second later he was swiping thin air. Sonic had gone; anticipating him, of course.

"You're still easily annoyed." Sonic mused from the air, invisible in the shadows. "But it seems you move slower than before. What's wrong? Out of practice?" He laughed tauntingly again and Knuckles circled slowly on the spot, trying to place him.

Sonic - his friend - was long gone, swallowed up by this monster that had grown inside of him since that fateful night when he had been bitten. They had never suspected Shadow... though looking back it seemed obvious.

Red eyes, black fur, immortality…

Then again, Shadow was a different kind of vampire, hating what he'd become and somehow fighting it... until Sonic took his taunting one step too far. One attack later and Shadow skulked away in disgusted shame, to hide himself in whatever dark corner of the world he had found.

Sonic fled in horror, slowing succumbing to it until... a flash of blue in the dark, interrupting his thoughts as the invisible Sonic continued, almost airily, "You honestly think that I'd attack people after so long as the hero? Though I do admit," he paused, savouring the prospect, "Sometimes they do look tasty."

"Monster." Knuckles muttered, still trying to find him and suppressing the horrible memories. Sonic was gone. No use grieving while this fiend still hunted.

Two green pinpoints in the night... a blur of needle spines... nothing.

"I prefer creature of the night. It has a certain ring to it, don't you think? But back to business. Anything else I can do for you, Red?"

"You can come here and let me break your damned neck!"

"Still think I did it, huh? Tsk, tsk. Learn some manners. Look before you leap, yes?"

Knuckles growled in the back of his throat, eyes darting. He backed away a step... two... and hit something.

A hand, which instantly closed around the back of his neck. He froze up, feeling an unnatural, animal panic rush up through his veins, tensing every muscle. There was a sigh in his ear.

"Your heart is racing. Are you scared? Now, why would that be? What do you think I'm going to do, Red? Come closer, I don't bite..."

Sonic's breath gusted over his neck as his thoughts raced. If Sonic had truly wanted to kill him, he would have done it by now. Unless he was toying with him...

"You're sick."

"What have I done?" Sonic asked with mock-hurt layering his voice, hiding the cruel glee that had been there since the beginning.

"It's what you're going to do that's important."

"Ahh, yes yes, maybe you do have a brain, Knuckles old pal. What am I going to do with you?" The hand slipped around under his chin, forcing his head to the side, exposing his neck. Sonic's voice became an excited whisper, close to his ear.

"What am I going to do?"

Knuckles' breath came short around the grip, making him reel like a doll in the hedgehog's clutches. He rolled his eyes to the side and finally caught sight of Sonic, face twisted with eyes a brilliant red, long vampire fangs protruding ominously from his hungry grin.

He gritted his teeth and began panting raggedly. Sonic was too unpredictable. To move was to be bitten. To stay was to be bitten.

"You're... evil... Sonic..."

Sonic let out a breathy laugh. "Don't tempt me."

And then he was gone, like smoke in a breeze, and Knuckles was left to collapse on the pavement, gasping helplessly and nursing his pride. At that point, he hated - he loathed- he despised Sonic the Hedgehog.

Vampire.

END

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